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Continued from page 19We also sampled, and thor-oughly enjoyed, three of those famous homemade sauces: trappeur, arlesienne and mush-room and black pepper.

We did over indulge a little on the dessert front as Jacques could see we were having dif-ficulty so suggested we have a mix of three! lemon meringue, apple pie and bitter chocolate with raspberry sauce: For those who have a well-developed sweet tooth, chez Jacques is simply heaven on earth. to complement your scrump-tious repast you can choose between several of the finest French wines as well as some of the best Spanish and canar-ian ones too. We tried the el Grifo dry white from lanzarote

and were smitten - it’s defi-nitely worth a recommenda-tion. there is also, of course, a wide range of soft drinks, other alcoholic beverages, and a vari-ety of coffees available. the glasses of muscatel and plate of coconut macaroons we were presented with at the end of our meal was the perfect way to round off the palate. throughout the evening we had been courteously and profes-sionally attended: the ser-vice, as everything else, is of

the very best quality. Jacques Sabatier himself is the per-fect host: guiding customers to their seats, taking jackets, charming the ladies, chatting to each of the gentlemen, and generally taking care of every-one’s needs and making every guest welcome. He is also the head chef. He makes all of the delectable

desserts, sauces and other dishes, as well as overseeing the cut and preparation of the meats. He is certainly a per-fectionist and it shows: the interesting décor, consider-ate staff, genial atmosphere and excellent homemade cui-sine make for a winning com-bination. Yet, for this Gallic gourmet experience prices are extremely reasonable: appe-tizers start at €4.90; main courses range from €6.65 for plain chicken to €18.50 for the tenderloin, and those tempting desserts begin at just €4.95. You can find el Sol /chez Jacques in Peatonal roma, S/n, Playa de los cristianos, arona. the restaurant is open from 6pm until around 11pm or when the last diners are ready to leave. during sum-mer it closes on tuesdays but is open seven days a week for the winter months. You can call 922 790 569 for reservations or more informa-tion, but make sure you visit soon: this is one restaurant that is definitely worth getting to know. n

As of October 15 one thing is certain - the best espresso in the Canary Islands can now be found in Santa Cruz on the beautiful island of La Palma. that is to say: in ‘el café de don Manuel’, opposite Plaza españa in calle real. owner of the bar, rayco rodriguez, participated in the Spanish Barista championships which were held on october 14 and 15 at the congress centre in Málaga. rodríguez, who is sponsored by the brand tirma, had earned his place in the competition hav-

ing been previously crowned canarian champion. Within Spain, however, the canarians are not best known as coffee connoisseurs. “up to now, the ‘canarios’ have not put so much emphasis on good coffee, more that it should be cheap. though, myself and seven or eight bars around Santa cruz are already mak-ing sure we serve a good cof-fee quality to attract guests”, says the Palmero.rodríguez was excited when he travelled to Málaga: He was one of 17 baristas who jour-

neyed from all over Spain to take part. More than half of the competitors having been par-ticipating for years: they are the Spanish (coffee) ‘crème de la crème’. “For me it was quite a surprise and success, to move into the final after the first day of the competition” the Palmero said modestly – and then went on to win his category. the prize for best coffee over-all went to damián Seijas, a representative of Galicia, but it was rayco rodriguez whose espresso made the day. “i got the award for the best espresso coffee. this is unbelievable for me, especially because the level was really high. i use the don Manuel branded tirma. the cof-fee comes from Panama and is superbly cultivated. the bean grows at 1,600m above sea level and at a constant 21 degrees centigrade. it has an aroma of jasmine and pineap-

ple. if you want to experience this wonderful taste, just keep the coffee as long as possible in the mouth”, says the expert. on the question of how a lay-man can recognise a good qual-ity coffee, he only said: “i have a regular guest who told me that he drank five to six cups of coffee daily. He used to always have an upset stomach by the end of the day. Since he is drinking coffee with me, it’s different. He still drinks a lot of coffee but now does well on it. and about his win: “in order to make a really good coffee, various factors have to be right. and to be within the top Span-ish baristas, you have to keep improving and learning.”the tirma brand first put this delicious-sounding coffee on the market about three years ago after rigorous testing and experimentation. the com-pany wanted to find a coffee

to import that would meet the highest demands. the result

appears to have been well worth the effort. n

FOOD

For all coFFee connoiSSeurS

El Café de Don Manuel in Santa Cruz de La Palma

At ‘El Café de Don Manuel’ there is the best espresso in Spain

Note the ‘No Ketchup’ sign - Jacques prides himself on the fact that no ketchup will touch his meals

The finest chicken liver pate, quiche Lorraine and onion tart. Just the starter menu is enough to make the mouth water

The spinach with melted cheese was creamy and rich

All of the desserts are made by Jacques

Even outside the restaurant you will find touches of rural France